World News - Ex-Iraq civilian chief defends doling out of cash Bremer says he tried to revive economy; top House Democrat cries waste

The former U.S. occupation chief in Iraq on Tuesday defended the way he haphazardly doled out billions of dollars in Iraqi funds after the U.S. invasion as Democrats began a two-year effort to scrutinize fraud, waste and abuse under the Bush administration. L. Paul Bremer III, who ran Iraq after the U.S. invasion, said in prepared testimony that he did the best he could to kick-start the Iraqi economy, “which was flat on its back.” Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, disagreed, telling a House hearing that Bremer failed to establish any control over the money after 363 tons of cash was loaded onto airplanes and sent into the war zone in 2003. Waxman, one of the chief investigators for Democrats who took control of Congress this year, said U.S. officials had “no way of knowing whether the cash would wind up in enemy hands.” ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com

One of four ministers who oversaw three weeks of intensive counseling for the Rev. Ted Haggard said the disgraced minister emerged convinced that he is "completely heterosexual." Haggard also said his sexual contact with men was limited to the former male prostitute who came forward with sexual allegations, the Rev. Tim Ralph of Larkspur told The Denver Post for a story in Tuesday's edition. "He is completely heterosexual," Ralph said. "That is something he discovered. It was the acting-out situations where things took place. It wasn't a constant thing." Ralph said the board spoke with people close to Haggard while investigating his claim that his only extramarital sexual contact happened with Mike Jones. The board found no evidence to the contrary.Yep he only did it once he has seen the light and is now cured. Halleluiah and pass the collection plate the con game can start again...http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/06/haggard.ap/index.html?eref=rss_us

The US believes it can make the cockpit video of the "friendly fire" death of a British soldier available to an inquest, Downing Street has said. The tape, obtained by the Sun newspaper, is said to show an American aircraft attack on a British convoy. Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, from Berks, was killed in Iraq in 2003. The video was classified "secret" by the US, although a coroner's official said it was felt the tape could be used now it was in the public domain. Defence Secretary Des Browne said the American decision was "good news". "The release of classified information, even for the closest of allies, is never straightforward, but this is the right thing to do," he said. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6334769.stm

A suicide attacker detonated a bomb in a parking area at the international airport that serves Pakistan's capital, seriously wounding at least one security official, officials said. The security official stopped the bomber, who was on foot, said Mohammed Farooq, a police official at the central control room in Rawalpindi, where the airport is located. After a brief exchange of fire, the attacker detonated the bomb, he said. ...http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2853274

At least 300,000 people in north-west China are short of drinking water because of unseasonably warm weather, which officials link to climate change. Parts of Shaanxi province face drought after January saw as little as 10% of average rainfall, state media say. Frozen lakes are melting and trees are blossoming in the capital Beijing as it experiences its warmest winter for 30 years, the China Daily reported. China is the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases, after the US. The country's top meteorologist, Qin Dahe, said the recent dry and warm weather in northern China was related to global warming. But he told reporters that China was committed to improving energy efficiency, and planned to reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions by 20% in the next five years. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6334749.stm

Palestinian leaders whose factions have engaged in deadly battles are preparing for talks in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, seen as a last chance to avoid civil war. Hopes are high the meeting between PM Ismail Haniya and President Mahmoud Abbas may lead to a unity government and revitalise peace moves with Israel. Mr Haniya's Hamas and Mr Abbas's Fatah factions have been locked in a bitter power struggle over the last year. About 60 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the last two weeks. However, a shaky ceasefire has been holding since Saturday, after the latest round of violence flared last week. And the signals emerging from both camps ahead of Tuesday's talks have been distinctly positive, says the BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza. There is talk of progress having been made in the run-up to the meeting, with both sides saying they are hopeful a deal will bring them together in unity government...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6334981.stm